Speaker series

H. Lee Scott Speaker Series

The “H. Lee Scott Speaker Series: An Examination of American Life” at Pittsburg State University was created in 2015 as a result of a $2.079 million gift made by PSU alum and former Walmart CEO Lee Scott and his wife, Linda.

The mission of the H. Lee Scott Speaker Series is to deepen the level of discourse, enrich the university experience, and elevate the university’s reputation by examining American life from the perspective of nationally prominent leaders and innovators.

In making the gift for the speaker series, Lee Scott said: “We hope that the exposure to these successful leaders will enhance the educational experiences for students and inspire them to someday be invited to speak about leadership on this same stage.”

Women in Government

The Women in Government Lecture Series was established at Pittsburg State University in 2001 through a generous gift from the Helen S. Boylan Foundation to the PSU Foundation. The Boylan Foundation provided a special grant to bring the former first lady to the PSU campus.

Speakers have included former First Lady Laura Bush, Kansas Senate President Susan Wagle, and Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins.

Gene DeGruson Memorial Lecture Series

The Gene DeGruson Memorial Lecture is an event sponsored by the Friends of the Leonard H. Axe Library to honor the memory of Mr. Gene DeGruson, Southeast Kansas scholar, writer and editor and pioneering archivist and curator of Special Collections at Axe Library, who died on June 18th, 1997. Gene founded the Special Collections department in 1968, and spent the next twenty-nine years building it into a rich treasure trove of knowledge on local history as well as an archive for Pittsburg State University.

Women's and Gender Studies Lecture Series

The Women's and Gender Studies Lecture Series main purpose is to encourage engaged, critical thought from diverse perspectives. It is a place to explore scholarship and activism for all those with an interest in equity issues.

Interdisciplinary Lecture Series

Past topics have included pollution, sustainability, and lying and how these topics relate to exhibits, art, and theatrical expression.

Tilford Lecture Series

The Michael Tilford Conference and Lecture Series provides an opportunity for faculty, staff, and administrators at the Kansas Board of Regents' institutions to approach diversity in higher education by examining the challenges and opportunities in Kansas including:

Inspire awareness of multiple dimensions of diversity, related practices of inclusion, and the transformation of higher education in Kansas.

Participate in workshops to learn about challenges and strategies for teaching diverse populations on Kansas campuses.

Share your passion for teaching and interacting with students from all backgrounds.